Evangeline was the last to arrive at the already-formed council. She took a deep breath and strode to the empty seat by Legolas. She could not look at him, a bit worried at what he thought of her, so she glanced at Boromir instead. He caught her stare and, though his face stayed serious, gave her a wink.

He probably finds it amusing that a woman would be at this council. A slight smile played across her lips.

Lord Elrond began. "Strangers from distant lands, friends of old, you've been summoned here to answer the threat of Mordor. Middle Earth stands upon the brink of destruction. None can escape it!" He looked around the council, starting with Legolas. "You will unite, or you will fall. Each race is bound to this fate, this one doom." He gestured to Frodo. "Bring forth the Ring, Frodo."

Frodo, looking very small, placed the golden band onto a stand in the middle of the circular council. He breathed a sigh of relief, feeling the lift of his burden. A murmur shot around. Evangeline looked to Legolas and back to the ring. This is it. This is what Anorath helped forged so long ago.

Boromir stood up, rambling about a dream he had. All eyes were fixed on him, though they paid little attention to what he was saying. He reached out to touch the ring.

Elrond shot up from his seat. "Boromir!"

Gandalf rumbled. Mordor's black speech stormed through the air and faded into a chant. The world shook and a darkness was cast over the company. Through Gandalf's chanting, everyone heard the thundering voice of the Dark Lord. Elrond held onto his forehead. Boromir turned in all directions. Legolas gripped the edges of his chair and Evangeline froze. She could npt understand what was being said, but the same dark voice taunted her in her head. Your curse, your bane! Surely you will not refuse this gift?

When Gandalf stopped chanting, the darkness vanished and all silently sat in their seats. "Never before has any voice uttered the words of that tongue here!" rebuked Elrond.

"I do not ask your pardon, Master Elrond. For the Black Speech of Mordor may yet be heard in every corner of the west! The ring is altogether evil!"

Boromir shook his head and stood. "But it is a gift! A gift to the foes of Mordor. Why not use this Ring?" He addressed everyone present, "Long has my father, the Steward of Gondor, kept the forces of Mordor at bay by the blood of our people, while your lands kept safe! Give Gondor the weapon of the enemy, let us use it against him!"

Aragorn spoke up. "You cannot wield it! None of us can. The One Ring answers to Sauron alone. It has no other master." Evangeline agreed, but she could not speak. It wasn't until Legolas lay a firm hand over hers that she realized she was shaking.

"And what would a Ranger know of this matter?" Boromir shot back.

Legolas could not take it anymore. "This is no mere Ranger! He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn." He stared pointedly at Boromir. "You owe him your allegiance."

Boromir was shocked. "This...this is Isildur's heir?"

"And heir to the throne of Gondor." Legolas finished.

It was hard to tell whether Aragorn was pained by the revelation or simply embarrassed. "Havo dad (Be seated), Legolas."

"Gondor has no king. Gondor needs no king." Boromir glared at Aragorn before sitting back down. He was a wanderer who had not done anything for Gondor. He was not there as the orcs attacked. He was not there to help Gondor rise against them. Why would he show up now to reclaim his throne?

"Aragorn is right. We cannot use it!" Gandalf agreed.

Elrond stood up. "You have only one choice. The Ring must be destroyed."

One of the dwarves jumped from his seat and held up his ax. "Then what are we waiting for?" He bashed his ax against the Ring. His thick blade shattered, but could not scratch the golden band. Sauron's image flashed above the Ring. Frodo jumped and gasped as if he had been the one hit.

Elrond waved his hand. "The Ring cannot be destroyed, Gimli son of Glóin, by any craft which we here possess. The Ring was made in the fires of Mount Doom. Only then can it be unmade. It must be taken deep into Mordor and cast back into the fiery chasm from which it came! One of you must do this."

Silence.

Boromir started mumbling off again, causing Legolas to yell at him. Evangeline vaguely heard Legolas and Gimli shouting at each other and more voices joining in, but it could not overpower the voice that still echoed in her head. A darkness mocked her intent and baited her to take it. Why? If he knows who I am, why does he want me to? Through the confusion, she saw Lord Elrond look at her expectedly. She shook her head. Something felt very wrong about the whole ordeal. I cannot do it, Adar. I cannot carry the Ring.

He sunk into his chair and closed his eyes. When he opened them, it was as if all hope had drained away. Evangeline snapped out of her dilemma. I must put these thoughts behind me. The world was at stake, and now was the time to act. As she opened her mouth to speak, a voice that was not hers rang out amongst the confusion and arguing. "I will take it!"

All faces turned to Frodo. "I will take the Ring to Mordor," he repeated. His blue eyes flashed worriedly from one face to another. "though, I do not know the way."

Evangeline's heart thumped. He has already neared death because of the Ring, yet he wishes to carry it to its end. The weight upon her shoulders slightly eased.

Gandalf hobbled over with his staff to Frodo. "I will help you bear this burden, Frodo. As long as it is yours to bear."

Aragorn joined them. "If by my life or death I can protect you, I will." He knelt on one knee before Frodo. "You have my sword."

"You have my bow." Legolas added.

"And my ax!" Gimli cried.

Boromir noted Aragorn's humble position before Frodo. He approached the quickly-forming group. "You carry the fate of us all, little one. If this is indeed the will of the council, then Gondor will see it done."

Evangeline knelt before Frodo, causing her to be a bit shorter than him. "Frodo, do you truly wish to carry this burden?"

His eyes already looked weary, but his voice was unwavering. "Yes."

"Then, if you accept me, I will come with you, to end this threat to Middle Earth."

"Hey!" Bushes rustled and a plump hobbit with carrot-colored hair ran up next to Frodo. "Mr. Frodo is not going anywhere without me!"

Elrond tried to stifle an amused grin. "No indeed, Sam! It is hardly possible to separate you two even when he is invited to a secret meeting and you are not."

"Oy! Were coming too!" Two more hobbits that had the alikeness of twins sprinted to join them. The one with slightly darker hair added, "Anyway, you need people with intelligence on this sort of mission-quest-thing."

"Well that rules you out, Pip!" accused the lighter haired one.

"Ten companions..." Elrond mused. "So be it. You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring!" he announced.

"Right!" agreed Pippin. "So, where are we going?" All eyes fell to him and Evangeline stifled the sudden urge to laugh.

"Speaking of intelligence!" Boromir gushed as he strutted forward. "You would allow a woman onto a journey that invites death? We do not have men to spare for her protection. She-"

"An elleth, who means well," Legolas interjected, facing Boromir.

"-cannot come!" Boromir finished.

Elrond stood calmly. "Why don't you let her speak for herself?"

Boromir spun around. Evangeline was standing right behind him and Legolas. Legolas intoned, "Evangeline-"

Boromir cut him off. "What are you thinking? We are on the brink of war! We cannot have a maiden fluttering about, complaining about petty things like a torn dress."

She was surprisingly calm. "Of course you cannot."

Boromir stopped talking. Thank Reason that she is more sensible than her adopted father, or whoever he is to her.

"Pick up your sword, Lord Boromir."

Everyone was silent. Lord Elrond and Aragorn winced. They knew what was coming.

Boromir huffed. "You cannot be serious." One look at her unmoving face told him this was no bluff. He turned away. "No, I will not fight a woman."

Aragorn insisted, "She is not an ordinary woman, Boromir." His words fell on deaf ears.

Evangeline shrugged. "Well then, I suppose I will be skewered by orcs."

"And what makes you think so?"

"Because unless you convince me otherwise, I am coming on this quest, Boromir, whether you or Legolas like it or not."

Boromir's face turned red. "What weapon do you choose?"

"I usually practice with two swords."

"One!" He stomped off to the training grounds.

The others followed to spectate but Legolas stood behind. This is not right! Maybe I can stop this. She has probably been trained with a bow well enough to come with us, at least part of the way. As he started after Evangeline, he realized that in addition to her height and skin color, she was not as elven as he first thought. As he stared, she all the more appeared to be neither elf, man, dwarf, or hobbit. Her physical traits were a delicate mixture of many races, reminding him of a creature that had not touched Middle Earth in centuries. But it could not be! Not unless-

Aragorn's hand lay heavily on his shoulder, stopping his quick stride. "Follow me, and do exactly as I tell you!" His voice did not leave room for argument, so Legolas grudgingly followed. Separated from the others, they stood on nearby walkway that overlooked the training grounds.

"Have you your bow?" Aragorn asked.

Legolas nodded.

"Ready it."

Legolas forehead creased with worry as he strung his bow. Surely Lord Boromir won't attempt any fatal strikes! He glanced at Aragorn, who was already intent on the two contestants. Then again, he is wise not to take any chances.

Evangeline faced Boromir. She knew his intentions. He will not try to hurt me, but he wants to end this battle quickly. He will be going for an open strike, a disarming, an obvious victory. She was glad for one sword. All of her strength needed to be focused.

Boromir nodded for her to begin.

Legolas watched in awe. Even to his eyes, Evangeline was a vivid flash of steel. Boromir's experience with many enemies in battle overshadowed his surprise. As her blade danced around his, he quickly realized that he was fighting someone who knew what she was doing. For the first time in a duel, he started to become worried.

Legolas noted with shock and satisfaction that she was gaining on him.

"Legolas, shoot the blade out of her hands!"

Without even thinking, he let go of his arrow. As it hit the blade, perfectly knocking it out of her hands, his eyes turned blue. What have I done? He was on the verge of demanding a reason from Aragorn, but he couldn't tear his eyes off Evangeline. As far as he knew, he had just destroyed her chance to come.

Evangeline ducked underneath Boromir's blade and rolled to the side. One moment she was winning. Next thing she knew, her sword was knocked away. This cannot happen! Her gut told her that she only had one chance: water. In the blink of an eye, she drew it up and smashed it against Lord Boramir's arm. He stood there in shock, half drenched and empty-handed.

Evangeline snatched up her sword and pointed it at him. He fell to his knees, gasping. Before she could savor her victory, Evangeline spotted a white arrow not far from where her sword had laid. Browsing through her spectators, her menacing glare fell on the one elf that held his longbow. Her expression switched to curiosity when she realized that his eyes had turned into a stunning shade of blue.

Legolas stared in disbelief. There was no doubt left in his mind. She was an earth-born, and she was... glaring at him? His jaw dropped and he pointed to Aragorn.

Evangeline's gaze shifted to Aragorn, who held up his hands in mock surrender. No more, he mouthed to her. You can hide no longer.

Evangeline softened her stare and looked back at Legolas. Only then did he notice that she was seeing what he saw: their eyes were the same color.

As Gandalf congratulated Evangeline and introduced her to the hobbits and Gimli, Boromir approached her with a stiff demeanor, holding his sword in one hand.

Evangeline tensed. Fine, if he desires a rematch, let him have it.

Boromir bowed slightly. "I was wrong to have ever doubted you. Forgive me, my lady."

"If you acted out of concern for the Fellowship, there is naught to forgive." She sheathed her sword with its pair and went to prepare for their journey. She packed lightly out of practicality and of hopes that she would soon return home. If we make haste, perhaps Arwen will not have to make her choice. Her heart ached as she realized she was leaving the only family she had ever known. A haunting thought clamped onto her mind like a snakes grasp. What if I never see them again? She shoved away the feeling that began to grip onto her heart. No! I will not think of it now. I do not have to, and I will not!

Evangeline quickly switched her thoughts to Legolas. It had seemed so long since she had last seen him, since the dance. He seemed so caring and strong, and she did not doubt that he was. The memory of her forward words at the dance sent a flush of embarrassment through her. I hope he does not think me foolish. I do not understand what comes over me when I am near him, but it does not seem to matter that he is a prince and older and wiser than I.